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Australian Caves and Karst Systems (Cave and Karst Systems of the World)
By John Webb, Susan White, Garry K. Smith. 2023
This book, part of the series Cave and Karst Systems of the World, begins with a review of the interaction…
between people and caves in Australia (including conservation), followed by descriptions of the spectacular cave diving sites, before comprehensively covering all the major carbonate and noncarbonate karst areas, subdivided by rock type and region, and including the origin of the caves. This is followed by broad overviews of cave minerals and speleothems, cave biology and cave fossils. Each section was written by one or more specialists in the topic and is illustrated by clear diagrams and superb colour photos. The book emphasises the unique aspects of the Australian karst, including the variability in the age of the caves (very old to very young) and the impact of isolation on the stygofauna, as well as the vertebrate fossils preserved in the caves. Written in an easy-to-read style, the book is a primary reference guide to Australian karst and represents a valuable asset for anyone interested in the topic, not only cavers and academics.Writings from Ancient Egypt
By Toby Wilkinson. 2016
'Man perishes; his corpse turns to dust; all his relatives pass away. But writings make him remembered'In ancient Egypt, words…
had magical power. Inscribed on tombs and temple walls, coffins and statues, or inked onto papyri, hieroglyphs give us a unique insight into the life of the Egyptian mind. Egyptologist Toby Wilkinson has freshly translated a rich and diverse range of ancient Egyptian writings into modern English, including tales of shipwreck and wonder, obelisk inscriptions, mortuary spells, funeral hymns, songs, satires and advice on life from a pharaoh to his son. Spanning over two millennia, this is the essential guide to a complex, sophisticated culture.Translated with an Introduction by Toby WilkinsonWrestling The Dragon: In search of the Tibetan lama who defied China
By G Naher, Gaby Naher. 2004
He's master of the PlayStation, he listens to rap music, he writes poetry and, in his eighteen-year-old hands, may hold…
the future of the Tibetan people. He is Ogyen Trinley Dorje, a Tibetan lama and the seventeenth incarnation of the Karmapa (third in line to the Dalai Lama). When he was fourteen, Ugyen fled Tibet and began his journey into exile - and the Chinese lost the boy they hoped would one day replace the Dalai Lama in the hearts of six million Tibetans. Today, he lives under house arrest, ostensibly being 'protected' by the Indian Government - which is more likely protecting its relationship with China. So begins the true story of the 17th Karmapa of Tibet, a story which has all the elements of a cracking tale: magical portents at his birth, a village childhood on the Roof of the World, attempted indoctrination by the Chinese-his short life provides a fascinating insight into the Contemporary Tibetan struggle, while his future as a religious leader of global significance is already being forecast. To write this story, Gaby Naher intends to travel throughout the region and interview key players of the Tibetan Government in Exile, as well as religious figures in the area.Wisdom of the Ancients: Life lessons from our distant past
By Neil Oliver. 2020
THE PERFECT READ FOR TROUBLED TIMESFrom the bestselling author of The Story of the British Isles in 100 Places comes…
this inspiring and beautifully written meditation on the wisdom inherited from our ancestors.For all we have gained in the modern world, simple peace of mind is hard to find. In a time that is increasingly fraught with complexity and conflict, we are told that our wellbeing relies on remaining as present as possible. But what if the key to being present lies in the past? In Wisdom of the Ancients, Neil Oliver takes us back in time, to grab hold of the ideas buried in forgotten cultures and early civilizations. From Laetoli footprints in Tanzania to Keralan rituals, stone circles and cave paintings, Oliver takes us on a global journey through antiquity. A master storyteller, drawing on immense knowledge of our ancient past, he distils this wisdom into twelve messages that have endured the test of time, and invites us to consider how these might apply to our lives today. The result is powerful and inspirational, moving and profound.Urne-Burial (Penguin Great Ideas #Vol. 32)
By Thomas Browne. 2005
Throughout history, some books have changed the world. They have transformed the way we see ourselves - and each other.…
They have inspired debate, dissent, war and revolution. They have enlightened, outraged, provoked and comforted. They have enriched lives - and destroyed them. Now Penguin brings you the works of the great thinkers, pioneers, radicals and visionaries whose ideas shook civilization and helped make us who we are.Written after the discovery of over forty Bronze Age burial urns in seventeenth-century Norfolk, Sir Thomas Browne's profound consideration of the inevitability of death remains one of the most fascinating and poignant of all reflections upon the vanity of mankind's lust for immortality.“The Buddha’s teachings are not a philosophy or a religion; they are a call to action and invitation to revolution.”Noah…
Levine, author of the national bestseller Dharma Punx and Against the Stream, is the leader of the youth movement for a new American Buddhism. In Heart of the Revolution, he offers a set of reflections, tools, and teachings to help readers unlock their own sense of empathy and compassion. Lama Surya Das, author of Awakening the Buddha Within, declares Levins to be "in the fore among Young Buddhas of America, a rebel with both a good cause and the noble heart and spiritual awareness to prove it,” saying, “I highly recommend this book to those who want to join us on this joyful path of mindfulness and awakening."The Chocolate Cake Sutra: Ingredients for a Sweet Life
By Geri Larkin. 2007
Three Japanese Buddhist Monks (Penguin Great Ideas)
By Saigyo, Kamo No Chomei, Yoshida Kenko. 2020
'I have relinquished all that ties me to the world, but the one thing that still haunts me is the…
beauty of the sky'These simple, inspiring writings by three medieval Buddhist monks offer peace and wisdom amid the world's uncertainties, and are an invitation to relinquish earthly desires and instead taste life in the moment.One of twenty new books in the bestselling Penguin Great Ideas series. This new selection showcases a diverse list of thinkers who have helped shape our world today, from anarchists to stoics, feminists to prophets, satirists to Zen Buddhists.Taming The Tiger: Tibetan Teachings For Improving Daily Life
By Akong Tulku Rinpoche. 1994
TAMING THE TIGER offers a simple approach to finding happiness for oneself that also brings happiness to others. Based on…
twenty years of Buddhist teaching in the West, Taming the Tiger aims to help anyone seeking the truth about suffering and happiness. The first part of the book deals with topics such as Impermanence, The Right Motivation, Facing the Situation, Body, Speech and Mind, Compassion, and Mindfulness. The second part is devoted to exercises, meditations and relaxation techniques for body and mind, including Feeling, Openness, Taking Suffering, Bringing the Buddha to Life and Universal Compassion. The exercises, designed to provide a base of self-knowledge, mind-therapy and self-healing have also been found beneficial in therapy workshops and in the treatment of psychological problems.This practical programme has been tested and refined first at therapy workshops of Samye Ling in Scotland - the oldest Tibetan Buddhist centre in the West - and has since confirmed its success in cities throughout Europe, North America and Africa, bringing definitive solutions to long-term problems weighing heavily on the mind.The End of Days: Armageddon and Prophecies of the Return (Earth Chronicles Book 7) (Earth Chronicles #7)
By Zecharia Sitchin. 2007
The groundbreaking, bestselling series—millions of copies sold worldwide!A classic of ancient human history—and one of the inspirations behind the History…
Channel’s Ancient Aliens—Zecharia Sitchin’s Earth Chronicles series is the revelatory and deeply provocative masterwork that forever altered humankind’s view of our history and our destiny.The fantastic conclusion to the groundbreaking Earth Chronicles series brings together past and present to offer a radical vision of the futureThirty years ago, Zecharia Stichin challenged established notions of the origins of Earth and man. In a series of provocative books, he offered a radical new theory, based on indisputable documentary evidence, of extraterrestrial beings—the Anunnaki—who arrived eons ago to plant mankind’s genetic seed. In this triumphant final volume, he closes the circle, exploring the profound question that has troubled us throughout time—from the Bible’s Daniel to Sir Isaac Newton to modern Americans—When will the end come?In The End of Days, Sitchin solves ancient enigmas, dechipers the original meaning of religious symbols, analyzes scientific calculations, explores Messianic expectation, and bridges the links between history and prophecy—between the 21st century, A.D. and the 21st century B.C.—to present a startling vision of what is to come for us all.The Still Point Dhammapada: Living the Buddha's Essential Teachings
By Geri Larkin. 2003
The Dhammapada is much loved by Buddhist practitioners as a simple and straightforward rendition of some of Buddha's core teachings,…
and is read daily by thousands of people. While there are many translations available, few have an inclusive – and lyrical – sensibility. In studying various versions of this sacred text, Larkin noted many discrepancies and embarked upon an entirely original translation. Each instalment gets tested at the Still Point Zen Buddhist Temple in Detroit, a remarkable Zen centre in the heart of one of the roughest neighbourhoods in the country. This small gift hardcover will have the appeal of the Thomas Byrom/Ram Dass edition, but will be made even more accessible with each chapter's introduction containing a powerful contemporary anecdote from the Still Point Temple community. This 'Downtown Dhammapada' will appeal not only to Buddhists, but to those who also appreciate beautifully rendered sacred texts as simply good reading.Plant Seed, Pull Weed: Nurturing the Garden of Your Life
By Geri Larkin. 2008
Gardens have often been used as metaphors for spiritual nurturing and growth. Zen rock gardens, monastery rose gardens, even your…
grandmother's vegetable garden all have been described as places of refuge and reflection. Drawing on her experience working at Seattle's premier gardening center, Zen teacher Geri Larkin shows how the act of gardening can help you uncover your inner creativity, enthusiasm, vigilance, and joy. As your garden grows, so will your spirit.Larkin takes you through the steps of planning, planting, nurturing, and maintaining a garden while offering funny stories and inspiring lessons on what plants can teach us about our lives. As soothing as a bowl of homemade vegetable soup, Plant Seed, Pull Weed will entertain, charm, and inspire you to get your hands dirty and dig deep to cultivate your inner self.Gardens of Awakening: A Guide to the Aesthetics, History, and Spirituality of Kyoto's Zen Landscapes
By Kazuaki Tanahashi. 2024
Renowned artist Kaz Tanahashi reveals the deep, inner spiritual connections that Zen gardens can foster, with over 75 stunning full-color photos…
of the masterpiece gardens of Kyōto, Japan.Imagine yourself in Kyōto, Japan, gazing at an ancient temple garden. How would you contextualize what you are seeing? What is the history of this centuries-old contemplative art form of Zen gardening? What are its symbols and concepts?Richly illustrated with full-color photographs, Gardens of Awakening guides you through a series of Zen temple gardens, most of which were created from the fourteenth through seventeenth centuries. Some are teeming with plants and flowing water, while others have only rocks and sand. All share in the Zen aesthetics of awakening.Through essays and commentary on Mitsue Nagase&’s striking photographs, beloved Zen artist and translator Kazuaki Tanahashi presents the gardens in terms of seven qualities that arise from Zen practice: direct, ordinary, vigorous, gleaming, pivotal, nondual, and inexhaustible. Relating these qualities to the development of Zen culture and its influence on Japanese art, Gardens of Awakening invites you deep into the heart of Zen.Dolia: The Containers That Made Rome an Empire of Wine
By Caroline Cheung. 2024
The story of the Roman Empire’s enormous wine industry told through the remarkable ceramic storage and shipping containers that made…
it possibleThe average resident of ancient Rome drank two-hundred-and-fifty liters of wine a year, almost a bottle a day, and the total annual volume of wine consumed in the imperial capital would have overflowed the Pantheon. But Rome was too densely developed and populated to produce its own food, let alone wine. How were the Romans able to get so much wine? The key was the dolium—the ancient world’s largest type of ceramic wine and food storage and shipping container, some of which could hold as much as two-thousand liters. In Dolia, classicist and archaeologist Caroline Cheung tells the story of these vessels—from their emergence and evolution to their major impact on trade and their eventual disappearance.Drawing on new archaeological discoveries and unpublished material, Dolia uncovers the industrial and technological developments, the wide variety of workers and skills, and the investments behind the Roman wine trade. As the trade expanded, potters developed new techniques to build large, standardized dolia for bulk fermentation, storage, and shipment. Dolia not only determined the quantity of wine produced but also influenced its quality, becoming the backbone of the trade. As dolia swept across the Mediterranean and brought wine from the far reaches of the empire to the capital’s doorstep, these vessels also drove economic growth—from rural vineyards and ceramic workshops to the wine shops of Rome.Placing these unique containers at the center of the story, Dolia is a groundbreaking account of the Roman Empire’s Mediterranean-wide wine industry.The Story of the British Isles in 100 Places
By Neil Oliver. 2018
"Everyone should have two copies - one for the car and one for the house to plan journeys. . .…
a reminder to think more about the places you pass and less about your route, because every British journey is through rich history." (Edward Stourton)From much-loved historian Neil Oliver, comes this beautifully written, kaleidoscopic history of a place with a story like no other.The British Isles, this archipelago of islands, is to Neil Oliver the best place in the world. From north to south, east to west it cradles astonishing beauty. The human story here is a million years old, and counting. But the tolerant, easygoing peace we enjoy has been hard won. We have made and known the best and worst of times. We have been hero and villain and all else in between, and we have learned some lessons.The Story of the British Isles in 100 Places is Neil’s very personal account of what makes these islands so special, told through the places that have witnessed the unfolding of our history. Beginning with footprints made in the sand by humankind’s earliest ancestors, he takes us via Romans and Vikings, the flowering of religion, through civil war, industrial revolution and two world wars. From windswept headlands to battlefields, ancient trees to magnificent cathedrals, each of his destinations is a place where, somehow, the spirit of the past seems to linger.Sons And Daughters Of The Buddha: Daily meditations from the buddhist tradition
By Christopher Titmuss. 2002
Christopher Titmuss believes that the work of the great Buddhist writers can provide profound spiritual, religious, social, political and environmental…
insights. This collection of inspirational quotes, one thought-provoking excerpt for every day of the year, draws on the very best Buddhist writings from early sages to the work of contemporary writers such as Jack Kornfield and Thich Nhat Hanh. This is a book readers will want to keep for many years, and dip into time and again.Buddhist Public Advocacy and Activism in Thailand: A Rhetoric of Dignity and Duty
By Craig M. Pinkerton. 2024
This book studies Buddhist public advocacy and activism in Thailand—a movement often broadly called socially engaged Buddhism—from the perspective of…
rhetorical studies, specifically, on humanizing and dehumanizing communication practices. In modern Thailand and historical Siam, Buddhism has been integral to the social change processes shaping civil society and an emerging democracy. This study examined two problems: How do contemporary Buddhists in Thailand use rhetorical practice to influence the way the issues they work on are understood, and how do these Buddhists justify their advocacy and activism in rhetorical practice? To the first, a rhetoric of dignity, or humanization, was the central answer. To the second, a rhetoric of duty was the central answer. For researchers in Southeast Asian Studies, Thai Studies, and Buddhist Studies, this book offers a fresh perspective on socially engaged Buddhism through the lens of the communication discipline. For researchers in Psychologyand Communication, it sheds light on the understudied practices of humanizing communication. The bulk of the current research is focused on its opposite—dehumanization—and most of this literature is in the field of psychology even though humanization and dehumanization are fundamentally and ontologically communication phenomena. For researchers within the field of Communication and Rhetorical Studies, this book advances innovations in the emerging practices of rhetorical field methods by applying rhetorical criticism to interview data in a new way and provides a non-western perspective on communication and rhetorical theory for which there has been continual calls.The Aztec Economy (Elements in Ancient and Pre-modern Economies)
By Frances F. Berdan. 2023
The Aztec Economy provides a synthesis and updated examination of the Aztec economy (1325–1521 AD). It is organized around seven…
components that recur with other Elements in this series: historic and geographic background, domestic economy, institutional economy, specialization, forms of distribution and commercialization, economic development, and future directions. The Aztec world was complex, hierarchical, and multifaceted, and was in a constant state of demographic growth, recoveries from natural disasters, political alignments and realignments, and aggressive military engagements. The economy was likewise complex and dynamic, and characterized by intensive agriculture, exploitation of non-agricultural resources, utilitarian and luxury manufacturing, wide-scale specialization, merchants, markets, commodity monies, and tribute systems.Human Prehistory: Exploring the Past to Understand the Future
By Deborah Barsky. 2023
This book provides a concise overview of human prehistory. It shows how an understanding of the distant past offers new…
perspectives on present-day challenges facing our species - and how we can build a sustainable future for all life on planet Earth. Deborah Barsky tells a fascinating story of the long-term evolution of human culture and provides up-to-date examples from the archaeological record to illustrate the different phases of human history. Barsky also presents a refreshing and original analysis about issues plaguing modern globalized society, such as racism, institutionalized religion, the digital revolution, human migrations, terrorism, and war. Written in an accessible and engaging style, Human Prehistory is aimed at an introductory-level audience. Students will acquire a comprehensive understanding of the interdisciplinary, scientific study of human prehistory, as well as the theoretical interpretations of human evolutionary processes that are used in contemporary archaeological practice. Definitions, tables, and illustrations accompany the text.After 1177 B.C.: The Survival of Civilizations (Turning Points in Ancient History #12)
By Eric H. Cline. 2024
In this gripping sequel to his bestselling 1177 B.C., Eric Cline tells the story of what happened after the Bronze…
Age collapsed—why some civilizations endured, why some gave way to new ones, and why some disappeared forever&“A landmark book: lucid, deep, and insightful. . . . You cannot understand human civilization and self-organization without studying what happened on, before, and after 1177 B.C.&”—Nassim Nicholas Taleb, bestselling author of The Black SwanAt the end of the acclaimed history 1177 B.C., many of the Late Bronze Age civilizations of the Aegean and Eastern Mediterranean lay in ruins, undone by invasion, revolt, natural disasters, famine, and the demise of international trade. An interconnected world that had boasted major empires and societies, relative peace, robust commerce, and monumental architecture was lost and the so-called First Dark Age had begun. Now, in After 1177 B.C., Eric Cline tells the compelling story of what happened next, over four centuries, across the Aegean and Eastern Mediterranean world. It is a story of resilience, transformation, and success, as well as failures, in an age of chaos and reconfiguration.After 1177 B.C. tells how the collapse of powerful Late Bronze Age civilizations created new circumstances to which people and societies had to adapt. Those that failed to adjust disappeared from the world stage, while others transformed themselves, resulting in a new world order that included Phoenicians, Philistines, Israelites, Neo-Hittites, Neo-Assyrians, and Neo-Babylonians. Taking the story up to the resurgence of Greece marked by the first Olympic Games in 776 B.C., the book also describes how world-changing innovations such as the use of iron and the alphabet emerged amid the chaos.Filled with lessons for today's world about why some societies survive massive shocks while others do not, After 1177 B.C. reveals why this period, far from being the First Dark Age, was a new age with new inventions and new opportunities.